[Image: BrandShield]
Airbnb and Uber like to sell themselves as the friendly faces of the sharing economy – just strangers helping strangers in the spirit of community, right? Well, not quite.
A new book by South African media scholar Julie Reid pulls back the curtain on how these platforms, especially Airbnb, are hotbeds for scammers armed with what she calls delusive speech – disinformation’s shady cousin, but with a purely criminal agenda.
Reid dives deep, drawing from 600+ global cases of people conned, endangered, or worse. The Conversation asked her five sharp questions about the rot behind the five-star reviews.
So, how do the scams actually work?
Airbnb connects travellers with homeowners, offering everything from swanky apartments to backyard shacks with “character.” They’ve even expanded to booking personal trainers and caterers, because some people don’t mind doing burpees in a stranger’s lounge while on holiday.
But behind the polish are scams galore. The phantom listing is a classic: fake property, real booking, real money, and then guests show up at a non-existent address. Voilà, you’ve just donated to a ghost.
Then there’s the bait and switch. You book one place, but on check-in day, the “host” claims it’s suddenly unavailable and offers you a downgrade. Surprise, your “luxury beach apartment” turns out to be a damp basement with a folding chair.
Scammers are savvy – they game the review system with fake glowing testimonials, use AI-generated images, and build entire fake host identities. They’ll even nudge guests off Airbnb’s secure payment system and vanish with the cash.
But it’s not just your wallet at risk. “The platform’s business model is premised on staying in a stranger’s private property, which can put guests’ personal safety at risk.”
“I’ve assessed multiple cases where Airbnb guests were assaulted, robbed with no signs of forced entry, raped, murdered, made victims of sexploitation, extortion or human trafficking, or held hostage.”
Wait — what’s delusive speech again?
It’s disinformation’s sketchy little sibling. Same deceit, different goal. As Reid puts it: “It isn’t done to promote a particular cause or gain ideological, military, or political advantage. Delusive speech is motivated purely by criminal intent or nefarious financial gain.”
“A fake property listing looks, sounds and feels exactly the same as a genuine one.”
It thrives on platforms built on trust. Airbnb, Uber, Booking.com, all wrapped in slick UX and feel-good branding. But once you’re in and ready to book, you’re already primed to believe. That’s when the scammers pounce.
Is Airbnb doing anything about it?
Sure, they’ve got trust-and-safety teams, machine learning tools, even a coalition of experts. But Reid’s not convinced.
“Scammers easily bypass verification tiers through aliases, forged documents and AI-generated material.”
Worse still? Victims often aren’t allowed to post reviews about their bad experiences. Airbnb’s content policies can shut those down.
“Dangerous and fraudulent activity goes publicly unreported and unreviewed, leaving future guests vulnerable.”
She’s calling for a full overhaul: “Airbnb’s review curation mechanisms should be revamped according to internationally recognised human rights frameworks that protect freedom of speech.”
And for crying out loud, when a scam listing is exposed, take it down, fast. “Airbnb must develop an urgent protocol for swiftly removing offending listings when discovered.”
What can we – the mere mortals – do to stay safe?
Reid’s advice is brutally practical: don’t just trust. Verify.
Ask people you know. Google Street View the place. If you’re sketched out, ditch the app and book directly with an actual hotel. And no matter what, get travel insurance.
“Prepare ahead of your trip by deciding what you will do if you find yourself in an unsafe situation.”
Is this part of a bigger mess?
Oh yes. This isn’t just Airbnb. Reid’s book shows how delusive speech has infiltrated the entire internet buffet — dating apps (Grindr, Tinder, Hinge), ride-hailing (Uber, Bolt), booking sites (Hotels.com), and social media (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram). No platform is immune.
“Delusive speech is now carried by all major tech platforms integral to everyday life.”
Reid’s hoping her work sparks awareness, because while these platforms might promise connection, trust, and community, the dark side is always just one fake listing away.
[Source: The Conversation]
